Bombing of Wesel

The Bombing of Wesel was a double-phased air attack on the German city of Wesel during the last days of World War II, occurring in the span of just over one month. Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery had his Royal Air Force soften up the German defenses on the east bank of the Rhine River in preparation for an Allied assault into the Nazi heartland, and the first raid, occurring from 16-19 February 1945, saw the town be almost entirely destroyed by RAF airburst bombs. On 23 March, Wesel was again subjected to bombing in preparation for Operation Varsity, the airborne assault on the city. 3,000 artillery pieces, 195 Avro Lancaster bombers, and 23 De Havilland Mosquitos virtually flattened the town, destroying 97% of Wesel. Wesel's prewar population of 25,000 in 1939 to 1,900 in May 1945, and the town was taken with 36 civilian casualties soon after.